Fire-escape.



H. J. WALTERS.

FIRE BSGAPE.

APPLIOATIOH FILED MAR. 22, 1911.

Patented Feb. 6,-1912.

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FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLIGATION FILED MAR. 22, 1911.

1,016,859, Patented Feb.6, 1912.

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HERMAN J. WALTERS, 0F HAMILTON, MONTANA.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

Application filed March 22, 1911.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Feb. 6, 1912.

Serial No. 616,078.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN J. WALTERS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Hamilton, in the county of Ravilli and State of Montana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fire- Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fire escapes of that class or type in which a drum mounted upon a frame carries a rope, one end of which may be grasped by the person desiring to escape and in which means are provided to prevent the too rapid rotation of the drum.

The present invention has for its object to provide a fire escape of the class described having retarding means for the drum which operates in the nature of an escapement.

Further objects of the invention are to simplify and improve the construction and operation of a device of the character described.

WVith these and other ends in view which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangementand combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of the claim may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings,-Figure 1 is a view in elevation and partly in section of a fire escape constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a portion of the device. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view taken on the plane indicated by the line 3-3 in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sectional detail view taken on the plane indicated by the line 4f1 in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail end view.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by like characters of reference.

A frame including bracket members 1, 1 supports a shaft 2 upon which a drum A is mounted for rotation, said drum including the heads or ends 3 and 4. Wound upon the body of the drum is a flexible element,

such as a rope or cable 5, one end of which may be grasped by the person desiring to escape. It is understood, however, that a suitable chair or carrier may be connected with the rope to afford a seat for the person desiring to escape. The frame structure is to be permanently supported adjacent to a window or in some other location where the device will be conveniently accessible in case of emergency.

Suit-ably connected with one of the heads 3 of the drum is one end of a spring 6, the

opposite end of which may be connected:

with a fixed portion of the frame 1. The spring 6 is wound about the shaft in such a manner that when the rope 5 is uncoiled or unwound from the drum, the spring 6 will be placed under tension by the rotation of the drum; hence, when the unwinding strain upon the rope is discontinued, the spring 6 will operate to rotate the drum in such direction as to rewind the rope or flexible element thereon.

Pivotally associated with the shaft 2 by means of a pin or pivot member 7, which intersects the shaft substantially at right angles to the axis thereof, is a bar 8 constituting an escapement lever, said bar having suitably curved arms 9 which are disposed in such fashion that portions of said arms will be spaced outward from the shaft. The arms 9 carry a segment rack 10, which, when the bar or escapement lever 8 rocks about its axis, will reciprocate in a plane which is substantially parallel to the axis of the shaft 2. The shaft 2 carries a balance wheel 11 equipped with a spur wheel or member 12 intermeshing with the rack 10. The balance wheel 11 also carries a segmental casing 13 containing a volute spring 14;, one end of which abuts upon the end of the casing 13, as shown at 15, while the other end of said spring engages one end of an arm 16 that is connected with and extends radially from the shaft 2.

The head 4 of the drum A carries an arcuate wedge-shaped cam 17 which is disposed concentrically about the axis of the shaft 2 and which extends through nearly 180 degrees of the circle. Said cam or wedge is adapted to alternately engage 0pposite ends of the bar or escapement lever 8, which latter will thus be rocked or oscillated, as will be readily understood. The ends of the bar or lever 8 may be provided with anti-friction elements, such as rollers 18. One end of the shaft carries a ratchet wheel 19 engaging a pawl which is pivotally mounted upon one ofthe frame members 1 in order to prevent rotation of the shaft while the rope 5 is being unwound from the drum A.

As will be seen from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings hereto annexed, when the rope or element 5 is unwound from the drum A, the latter is rotated to place the spring 6 under tension. The cam or wedge 17 will also alternately engage opposite ends of the bar or escapement lever 8, thereby rocking said lever, as will be readily understood. When the escapement lever rocks in one direction, the rack segment 10 carried by the arms 9,

meshing with the spur gear 12, will rotatethe balance wheel against the tension of the volute spring 1 1, thus retarding the rotation of the drum A. When under the action of the wedge or cam 17 the escapement bar or lever rocks in the opposite direction, the rotation of the balance wheel will be reversed, and its rotation will be accelerated by the impulse of the energy stored in the spring 14:. The device herein shown will thus constitute an escapement device, whereby the continuous rotation of the drum under the action of the unwinding rope element 5 will be interrupted, the

17 will now engage one end of the arm 8', and the shaft with the drum and the entire escapement device will now be reversely rotated by the uncoiling action of the spring 6, thereby rewinding the rope or flexible element 5 upon the drum and placing the device in condition for a repetition of the operation.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

In a fire escape of the class described, a drum, a shaft upon which said drum is supported for rotation, a flexible element wound upon the drum, a wedge-shaped cam associated with one head of the drum, an escapement lever supported for oscillation on the supporting shaft of the drum and having its ends provided with anti-friction members disposed in the path of the cam, divergent arms extending from the lever and carrying a rack segment, a balance wheel supported upon the drum carrying shaft and having a toothed port-ion meshing with the rack, an arcuate casing upon the balance wheel, a volute spring within said casing and engaging one end of the latter, and an arm extending from the shaft 'within the casing and engaging the other end of the volute spring to place the latter under tension when the balance wheel rocks in one direction under the impulse of the rack associated with the escapement lever..

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence oftwo witnesses.

HERMAN J. WVALTERS. Witnesses:

SAMUEL A. MILLER, EDGAR N. BARRETT.

Copies. of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. 0. 

